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Recitation
رباعیات۔اضداد۔جوش ملیح آبادی
۱
یہ سچ ہے اگر معدلت ہے بھر پور
اللہ کی دین میں نہیں کوئی قصور
تو حرفِ دعا شدید گستاخی ہے
ناقابلِ تبدیل مشیّت کے حضور
۲
دیکھے تو کوئی عقل و عقائد کا تضاد
وہ لحنِ تآمل یہ خروشِ اجداد
میدانِ فقیہ میں جو شئے ہے ایمان
ایوانِ حکیم میں وہ شئے ہے اِلحاد
۳
اے موجد و خلّاق مبارک باشد
اے صانعٔ آفاق مبارک باشد
ہر سمت رواں دواں ہیں بھوکوں کے جلوس
اے حضرتِ رزّاق مبارک باشد
۴
تقدیر کی یہ دروغِ بافی، افسوس
برتاؤ یہ رحمت کے منافی افسوس
فاقے کا شکار ہیں کروڑوں بندے
اللہ کی یہ وعدہ خلافی افسوس
۵
رقساں ہے ہر اِک روش پہ سلمائے حیات
روشن کتنے ہیں گلستان کے آیات
سرو و سمن و سنبل و نسرین و گلاب
اللہ رے عروسِ رنگ و بو کے کلمات
۶
آئین کچھ اور، حکمِ فطرت کچھ اور
قانون کچھ اور، آدمیت کچھ اور
اللہ کا قول و فعل اتنا متضاد
احکام کچھ اور ہیں، مشیت کچھ اور
۷
خونخوار کو پروان چڑھانے والے
کمزور کو خاک میں ملانے والے
شاہیں بھی ہے کیا تیری ایجادِ لطیف
معصوم کبوتر کے بنانے والے
रुबाईयात-अज़्दाद-जोश मलीहाबादी
१
ये सच है अगर के मा’देलत है भरपूर
अल्लाह कि देन में नहीं कोई क़ुसूर
तो हर्फ़-ए दुआ शदीद गुस्ताख़ी है
ना-क़ाबिल-ए तब्दील मशिय्यत के हुज़ूर
२
देखे कोई अक़्ल ओ अक़ाएद का तज़ाद
वो लहन-ए ता’अम्मुल ये ख़रोश-ए अज्दाद
मैदान-ए फ़क़ीह में जो शै है ईमान
ऐवान-ए हकीम में वो शे है इल्हाद
३
अए मोजिद ओ ख़ल्लाक़ मुबारक बाशद
अए साना-ए आफ़ाक़ मुबारक बाशद
हर सम्त रवां दवां हैं भूकौं के जुलूस
अए हज़्रत-ए रज़्ज़ाक़ मुबारक बाशद
४
तक़्दीर कि ये दारोग़-ए बाफ़ी, अफ़्सोस
बरताऊ ये रहमत के मुनाफ़ी, अफ़्सोस
फ़ाक़े का शिकार हैं करोड़ों बन्दे
अल्लाह कि ये वा’दा ख़िलाफ़ी, अफ़्सोस
५
रक़्सां है हर एक रविश पे सल्मा-ए हयात
रौशन कित्ने हैं गुलिस्तान के आयात
सर्व ओ समन ओ सुंबुल ओ नस्रीन ओ गुलाब
अल्लाह रे उरूस-ए रंग ओ बू के कलमात
६
आ’ईन कुछ और, हुक्म-ए फ़ित्रत कुछ और
क़ानून कुछ और, आदमियत कुछ और
अल्लाह के क़ौल ओ फ़ाल में इतना मुतज़ाद
अहकाम कुछ और हैं, मशिय्यत कुछ और
७
ख़ूंख़्वार को परवान चढ़ाने वाले
कमज़ोर को ख़ाक में मिलाने वाले
शाहीं भी है क्या तेरी ईजाद-ए लतीफ़
मासूम कबूतर के बनाने वाले
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm. He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal. His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life. He also wrote numerous rubaaii. This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject. This selection is one that illustrates many self-contradictions-‘azdaad’ in our thinking.
1
ye such hai agar ke maa’delat1 hai bharpoor2
allah ki den3 meN nahiN koii qusoor4
to harf-e-dua5 shadeed6 gustaaKhi7 hai
naqaabil-e-tabdeel8 mashiyaat9 ke huzoor10 1.justice 2.full, complete, perfect 3.gifts 4.mistake, error 5.words of prayer 6.extreme 7.insult, insolence, rudeness 8.unchangeable 9.god’s will 10.before, in the face of
God’s will is unchangeable because it is already perfect and complete. There is no error/mistake/shortfall in his gifts. Therefore, praying for something is an insult to him because it implies that he has not been perfect.
2
dekhe to koii aql1 o aqaa’ed2 ka tazaad3
vo lahn4-e ta’mmul5 ye Kharosh6-e ajdaad7
maidaan-e faqeeh8 meN jo shai9 hai eemaan10
aivaan-e-hakeem11 meN vo shai hai ilhaad12 1.intelligence, reason 2.beliefs 3.contradictions 4.harmony/music 5.deliberation, thinking 6.noise 7.ancestors 8.religious jurist 9.thing 10.faith 11.palace of the wise 12.atheism
Look at the contradictions between reason and belief. One is the harmonious music of deliberation and thinking the other is the loud voice/noise of ancestors. In the domain of the religious jurist that which is faith, is atheism in the palace of the wise. The ‘faqeeh’-jurist, accepts blind faith, but the ‘hakeem’-thinker, does not.
3
aye mojid1 o Khallaaq2 mubarak-baashad3
aye saana-e-aafaaq4 mubarak baashad
har samt5 ravaaN-davaaN6 haiN bhookauN ke jaloos7
aye hazrat-e-razzaaq8 mubarak baashad 1.creator 2.builder 3.congratulations 4.creator of the skies 5.directions 6.flowing 7.processions, crowds 8.noble sustainer
josh shows the contradictions between one of the names of god – razzaaq and the existence of hunger, rather sarcastically. O, creator/builder, congratulations. O architect of the skies, congratulations. In every direction there are famished/hungry crowds. O noble provider of sustenance, congratulations.
4
taqdeer1 ki ye daroGh-e-baafi2, afsos3
bartaau4 ye rahmat5 ke manafi6, afsos
faaqe7 ka shikaar8 haiN karoRauN bande9
allah ki ye va’ada-Khilaafi10, afsos 1.fate 2.woven/convoluted/disguised deception 3.alas 4.treatment 5.benevolence 6.opposite of, in negation of 7.starvation 8.prey, victim 9.slaves, creatures 10.breaking promise
One of the names of god is ‘razzaaq’ – provider of sustenance, based on a ‘promise he made to his creatures’. Alas this hidden deception of fate. Treatment exactly opposite to benevolence. Crores of people are victims of starvation. Alas, this breaking of promises by god.
5
raqsaaN1 hai har ek ravish2 pe salmaa-e-hayaat3
raushan kitne haiN gulistaan ke aayaat4
sarv5 o saman6 o sunbul7 o nasreen8 o gulaab
allah re uroos9-e raNg-o-boo10 ke kalamaat11 1.dancing 2.pathway 3.beauty of life 4.literally – signs 5.cypress-tall and slender beauty 6.jasmine 7.hyacinth 8.wild white rose 9.bride 10.colour and fragrance – used for the beauty of the material world that can be sensed 11.declaration/assertion (of faith)
josh is intentionally ambiguous or conflicted. On every pathway you can see the beauty of life dancing. All the ‘signs’ of the garden are shining brightly. The word “aayaat=signs” is also used for the verses of the qur’aan with the intended double meaning that they and all the ‘gifts’ of nature are ‘signs of divinity’. By god, these beautiful trees and flowers are statements/declarations of the bride of this world of senses. josh uses the word ‘kalamah’ which is usually used for ‘declaration of faith’. Are these beautiful things in the garden declaring their faith in god or are they statements of the beauty of the world of senses/material world.
6
aaiin1 kuchh aur, hukm-e-fitrat2 kuchh aur
qanoon3 kuchh aur, aadmiyat4 kuchh aur
allaah ke qaul5 o faal6 meN itna mutazaad7
ahkaam8 kuchh aur haiN, mashiyyat9 kuchh aur 1.rules, traditions 2.command/demand of nature 3.laws 4.human nature 5.words, sayings 6.actions 7.contradiction, conflict 8.orders 9.will of god
josh maintains that strictures of faith are opposed to human nature … his favourite example being wine drinking. Demands of nature and rules of conduct are different from each other. One set of laws and a different set of human nature. There is such contradition between the words and acts of god that he issues one set of order and creates (by his will) an opposite character/nature.
7
KhooNKhwaar1 ko parvaan-chaRhaane2 vaale
kamzor ko Khaak meN milaane vaale
shaaheeN3 bhi hai kya teri hi eejaad-e-lateef4
maasoom5 kabootar ko banaane vaale 1.blood thirsty 2.make perfect/complete 3.falcon 4.fine creation 5.innocent
josh points out the contradiction of creating both the hunter and prey. You (O, god) who have created thirst for blood and trampled into dust all defenseless creatures, is the falcon also your fine creation, you who have created the helpless dove.
josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm. He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal. His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life. He also wrote numerous rubaaii. This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject. This selection is one that illustrates many self-contradictions-‘azdaad’ in our thinking.
1
ye such hai agar ke maa’delat1 hai bharpoor2
allah ki den3 meN nahiN koii qusoor4
to harf-e-dua5 shadeed6 gustaaKhi7 hai
naqaabil-e-tabdeel8 mashiyaat9 ke huzoor10
1.justice 2.full, complete, perfect 3.gifts 4.mistake, error 5.words of prayer 6.extreme 7.insult, insolence, rudeness 8.unchangeable 9.god’s will 10.before, in the face of
God’s will is unchangeable because it is already perfect and complete. There is no error/mistake/shortfall in his gifts. Therefore, praying for something is an insult to him because it implies that he has not been perfect.
2
dekhe to koii aql1 o aqaa’ed2 ka tazaad3
vo lahn4-e ta’mmul5 ye Kharosh6-e ajdaad7
maidaan-e faqeeh8 meN jo shai9 hai eemaan10
aivaan-e-hakeem11 meN vo shai hai ilhaad12
1.intelligence, reason 2.beliefs 3.contradictions 4.harmony/music 5.deliberation, thinking 6.noise 7.ancestors 8.religious jurist 9.thing 10.faith 11.palace of the wise 12.atheism
Look at the contradictions between reason and belief. One is the harmonious music of deliberation and thinking the other is the loud voice/noise of ancestors. In the domain of the religious jurist that which is faith, is atheism in the palace of the wise. The ‘faqeeh’-jurist, accepts blind faith, but the ‘hakeem’-thinker, does not.
3
aye mojid1 o Khallaaq2 mubarak-baashad3
aye saana-e-aafaaq4 mubarak baashad
har samt5 ravaaN-davaaN6 haiN bhookauN ke jaloos7
aye hazrat-e-razzaaq8 mubarak baashad
1.creator 2.builder 3.congratulations 4.creator of the skies 5.directions 6.flowing 7.processions, crowds 8.noble sustainer
josh shows the contradictions between one of the names of god – razzaaq and the existence of hunger, rather sarcastically. O, creator/builder, congratulations. O architect of the skies, congratulations. In every direction there are famished/hungry crowds. O noble provider of sustenance, congratulations.
4
taqdeer1 ki ye daroGh-e-baafi2, afsos3
bartaau4 ye rahmat5 ke manafi6, afsos
faaqe7 ka shikaar8 haiN karoRauN bande9
allah ki ye va’ada-Khilaafi10, afsos
1.fate 2.woven/convoluted/disguised deception 3.alas 4.treatment 5.benevolence 6.opposite of, in negation of 7.starvation 8.prey, victim 9.slaves, creatures 10.breaking promise
One of the names of god is ‘razzaaq’ – provider of sustenance, based on a ‘promise he made to his creatures’. Alas this hidden deception of fate. Treatment exactly opposite to benevolence. Crores of people are victims of starvation. Alas, this breaking of promises by god.
5
raqsaaN1 hai har ek ravish2 pe salmaa-e-hayaat3
raushan kitne haiN gulistaan ke aayaat4
sarv5 o saman6 o sunbul7 o nasreen8 o gulaab
allah re uroos9-e raNg-o-boo10 ke kalamaat11
1.dancing 2.pathway 3.beauty of life 4.literally – signs 5.cypress-tall and slender beauty 6.jasmine 7.hyacinth 8.wild white rose 9.bride 10.colour and fragrance – used for the beauty of the material world that can be sensed 11.declaration/assertion (of faith)
josh is intentionally ambiguous or conflicted. On every pathway you can see the beauty of life dancing. All the ‘signs’ of the garden are shining brightly. The word “aayaat=signs” is also used for the verses of the qur’aan with the intended double meaning that they and all the ‘gifts’ of nature are ‘signs of divinity’. By god, these beautiful trees and flowers are statements/declarations of the bride of this world of senses. josh uses the word ‘kalamah’ which is usually used for ‘declaration of faith’. Are these beautiful things in the garden declaring their faith in god or are they statements of the beauty of the world of senses/material world.
6
aaiin1 kuchh aur, hukm-e-fitrat2 kuchh aur
qanoon3 kuchh aur, aadmiyat4 kuchh aur
allaah ke qaul5 o faal6 meN itna mutazaad7
ahkaam8 kuchh aur haiN, mashiyyat9 kuchh aur
1.rules, traditions 2.command/demand of nature 3.laws 4.human nature 5.words, sayings 6.actions 7.contradiction, conflict 8.orders 9.will of god
josh maintains that strictures of faith are opposed to human nature … his favourite example being wine drinking. Demands of nature and rules of conduct are different from each other. One set of laws and a different set of human nature. There is such contradition between the words and acts of god that he issues one set of order and creates (by his will) an opposite character/nature.
7
KhooNKhwaar1 ko parvaan-chaRhaane2 vaale
kamzor ko Khaak meN milaane vaale
shaaheeN3 bhi hai kya teri hi eejaad-e-lateef4
maasoom5 kabootar ko banaane vaale
1.blood thirsty 2.make perfect/complete 3.falcon 4.fine creation 5.innocent
josh points out the contradiction of creating both the hunter and prey. You (O, god) who have created thirst for blood and trampled into dust all defenseless creatures, is the falcon also your fine creation, you who have created the helpless dove.
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